Complaints

This profile includes complaints for The San Diego Union-Tribune's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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• 

  The San Diego Union-Tribune

  600 B St Ste 1201 San Diego, CA 92101-4505

• 

  The San Diego Union-Tribune

  PO Box 120191 San Diego, CA 92112-0191

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/15/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On the dates below, The Tribune and ** Times debited my bank account with THE FOLLOWING UNAUTHORIZED CHARGES...LA TIMES: 6-10-22 $19.49 (MXJWNC2) 7-28-22 $20.00 (MXJWNC2) *TOTAL $39.49 SDU Tribune: 6-16-22 $20.00 (HZWZY95) 8-11-22 $20.00 (same as above) 9-22-22 $19.49 (same above) 11-3-22 $19.49 *TOTAL $78.98 Total charges debited to my account at ***************** Union, ********* ** (#******) $118.47!!I called their customer phone number at ************** and was told they could not find an account under my phone number, therefore could not help me.Please advice,Thank You!**************

  Business Response

  Date: 12/05/2022

  We apologize for the delay in responding as we were waiting for a call-back from the consumer.

  Since our ************ was not able to locate the charges in question using the initial documents submitted, we have made several attempts were made both by email and phone, to contact ************** and obtain additional information. Unfortunately, she has not responded to any of our attempts.

  We would appreciate if ************** would please call the number that was left on the voice mail or provide us with another phone number if necessary. 

   

  Thank you!

   

   

   

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/07/2022

  I have contacted them twice each time the email they provide DORS NOT EORK I keep getting "Failure Demon..unable to send" 
  They should already have copies of my bank statements!!

  Business Response

  Date: 12/08/2022

  While we did receive credit card statements from **************, the ************ requires the first 6 and last 4 digits of the card number that is being charged so they can perform a thorough search. This is the information that was requested in the first email on 11/29.

  ************** has successfully contacted ** by email @ ******************************************** and can send the requested information to that same email address.

  We are as anxious as ************** to get this issue satisfactorily resolved.

   

  Thanks

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/13/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We paid for the delivery of the newspaper. 1 year in advance $156.00 for everyday delivery. 7 days a week.The San Diego union tribune delivery person misses our delivery at least 2 times a week. This has been going on for about 7 months When we call for help the customer service people can't speak clear English and make up different lies to get you off the phone

  Business Response

  Date: 11/30/2022

  We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this issue may have caused.

  With review of ************************** account, his delivery area in ***** has been impacted by a shortage of delivery carriers. The Distributor in the area is working diligently to get delivery back on track and recruit new carriers for the routes. We will continue to work with the Distribution team to improve the level of service to his home. 

  Since the last payment  was made on the account on 8/26/22, there has been a total of $26.04 issued as credit for missed deliveries. In addition, all the missed delivery complaints were properly recorded and the Distributor was duly notified. 

  ********************** mentioned that our call center agents do not speak English and provide false information. Since we ensure that all agents are proficient in English, if ********************** could provide us with a date when he called and experienced this, we would be more than willing to review the call records and use this as an opportunity to correct if necessary. 

   

  Thanks

   

   

   

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/30/2022

  The San Diego union tribune has been using the excuse of a shortage of delivery drivers for over 3 years. And the call center is in a foreign country and has many employees who hardly speak English.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/05/2022

  We're sorry that ********************** did not accept our response. The shortage of distribution carriers is an existing and ongoing issue that unfortunately the entire newspaper industry is facing right now. As previously indicated, we will continue to work with the distribution team in his area to minimize the issue. However, as long as ********************** continues with his subscription, there will be instances when the papers are not delivered by the targeted times. 

  Also as mentioned in my previous email, I would appreciate if ********************** could let us know the date/time he contacted our call center in *************** and there was an issue with the agent's ability to speak English. We would be more than willing to review the related call and use it as a coaching opportunity if found necessary.

   

  Thanks 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/05/2022

  I rejected this response because it's the same excuses the San Diego union tribune has been spewing for almost 3 years.

  Thd San Diego union tribune doesn't want to fix their delivery issues. If they did the issues could of been fixed in 3 years. The call center promises to have missing papers re delivered but the paper never shows up until the next day.

  The San Diego union tribunes excuses are like their newspaper 

   

  Yesterday's News.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/03/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  For months I have been requesting my paper on my porch, hard to get down stairs in morning 88 yrs old. I have sent numerous letters, pictures, of paper on lawn or by the street. I have received the same apology hundreds of time, saying they will correct it. It has not been done, I request a credit for the year on my paper that I cant get to for hours. Please help.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/30/2022

  We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this delivery issue has caused. ************************ delivery area has been severely impacted by the shortage of delivery carriers. So while the papers are being delivered by fillers and other helpers it is very difficult to deliver papers to doors/porches. Our standard delivery location is in the driveway and  while we understand and empathize with ********************' situation, unfortunately we are unable to guarantee delivery to any other location. 

  However, we will continue to work with the delivery team to see how/if they can accommodate ************************ request for porch delivery. In the meantime, we have issued a credit for the full amount of the last payment made and refunded half of that payment which is $66.50. This should be received by check to the address on file within 10 business days.

  Thanks! 

   

  '

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/09/2022

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have been a San Diego Union-Tribune subscriber for decades. I recently moved to my current address, ****************************************************. I filed a change of address for my account on approximately September 19, 2022. My subscription is for paper delivery from Thursday to Sunday. I have not received one single issue of the newspaper since Sunday, September 18, when I was still at my prior address. I was out of town from September 20 to October 2, 2022. A friend stayed at my residence and she reported to me that no paper was ever delivered. I have called numerous times and have been assured that the paper would be delivered the same day with zero results. I am a senior citizen who enjoys reading the newspaper and doing the puzzles which cannot be done online. I believe the newspaper is in breach of contract for failing to deliver their product while still charging me for the same. I hope you can help me. Thank you.************************* ******************************************************** *********************** ************ (land line)************ (cell phone)

  Business Response

  Date: 10/24/2022

  We apologize for the delay in responding as we wanted to first reach out to **************** to confirm if her delivery had started. Via a phone call on 10/20, she indicated that she had received a paper that day. However, a review of the account indicates that she did not receive one the following day based on the complaint that was recorded.

  We will reach out to *************** again today to confirm if the papers were delivered over the weekend and today. In the meantime, we have issued credits for all the missed deliveries since the start of the account.

   

  Thanks

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/05/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Breach of contract. We prepay $38.84, a month in advance, for our ongoing 28-day SDUT newspaper subscription. We did not receive a delivery of our newspaper on 5 September, for which we prepaid, because they did not print and deliver a hardcopy to us. This is an arbitrary and unilateral breach of contract. We demand to get a refund of the cost of today's newspaper. I am the primary subscriber here, but multiple people here contribute to the subscription cost of the newspaper and they do not have any online access. All of us expect to get a hardcopy newspaper delivered as we have prepaid for. Therefore, all of us have been cheated by SDUT's failure to deliver a hardcopy newspaper today. Doing the math, we are entitled to a refund of $1.39 for failure to deliver our hardcopy newspaper on 5 September. A reimbursement to my credit card in the amount of $1.39 is required to compensate for this breach of contract.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/12/2022

  As with our previous "No Print Delivery Holiday" on July 4th, we informed all our customers that the reason was to give our hard working distribution workers a much deserved holiday. However, the exact replica of the paper would still be available online as early as 4am that day.

  Customers like ******************** with negative reactions to the decision not to deliver on designated days, just need to call our ********************** and request credit for that day. There is no need to file a BBB complaint just to do that.

  Since the account remains active, we have applied a credit of $1.39 to the account. This will extend the current expiration date of 9/26 to 9/27.

  Thanks!

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/12/2022

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/21/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Received a statement with an account with a due date and payment amount. I called the ph#************ twice, someone located at *************** answered. I asked why I am getting a **** when I have never purchased SD Union-Tribune. Both persons I spoke with; ***** and Bao transferred my call and the call was dropped.I am 70 yrs old and feel this is a scam to make me believe I have an account with them and to get money from old-timers like myself. This manner of soliciting must be illegal, please help I received the another statement yesterday 7/20/22

  Business Response

  Date: 08/01/2022

  We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused ****************.

  A review of our records indicate that she was subscribed to a free 26 week Sunday only subscription to the San Diego Union Tribune. The statement she received was for the continuation of the subscription after the 26 week ended.

  The account has been cancelled effective immediately and there will be no additional statements generated on the account.

  Thanks for allowing us the opportunity to resolve this issue.
  

   

   

   

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/05/2022

  The explanation from SD Union Tribune is not true.  I declined their offer to accept a subscription.  They will continue this form of obtaining money form seniors.  Please advise them to remove their "Statement letter format" of requesting acceptance of subscriptions.

   

   

  Business Response

  Date: 08/05/2022

  We're extremely sorry to hear that **************** has not accepted our explanation and resolution of the incident.

  Please allow me to emphatically state that The *********** Times would in way knowingly participate in any scheme to defraud seniors.  In addition, our telemarketing vendor has been requested to provide the recording of the call if available, for our review.
  

  We would be more than happy to attempt to fulfill her requests but would like clarification of what she's asking to be removed and where it's located.

   

  Thanks!